Farmers in Shandong have been overusing an illegal and highly toxic pesticide to grow ginger for years on end, adding yet another concern to the country’s growing list of food scandals. An investigative report by China Central Television (CCTV), which aired on Saturday, discovered farmers in Weifang city had been using the pesticide aldicarb “three to six times” above the recommended level. The pesticide is not approved for use on ginger…Full-text article: South China Morning Post May 2013

Key point

In 2012, aldicarb (used to control nematodes and insect pests) was suspected in the deaths of 13 people in Anhui province after they reportedly ate cucumbers laced with the pesticide